How To Understand The Warning Signs Of Developmental Delay In Toddlers?

Developmental delays of a child can be quite frightening for a parent. The problem often gets diagnosed when a kid fails to reach the growth milestone as per expectation. While most developmental delays correct on their own, each one has their own implications. The good news is developmental delays can often be treated and prevented to a large extent. Some of the developmental delays affect vision, speech, motor skills, to name a few. Here is a micro snippet to help parents understand the warning signs of developmental delays:

1.Cognitive delay:

Also known as an Intellectual Disability, the cognitive delay creates problem-related to thinking. Detection of this type of delays is triggered by conditions such as Autism Spectrum Disorder, Learning disability, Lead poisoning, or a genetic disorder. Early detection and treatment play a pivotal role in the proper management of the cognitive delay.

2.Vision delay:

A vision delay usually crops up within the first few months of birth. From blurry vision to no vision, there could be a wide range of vision-related disorder in a baby. Although the vision improves eventually, the warning signs indicative of a vision delay includes

-The baby is unable to spot both the hands

-The baby experiences difficulties in spotting nearby objects

-Eye drainage or constant tearing by six months of age.

3.Emotional developmental delay:

An emotional or social developmental delay can limit a baby’s ability to interact with his/ her peers or other children. This problem is most likely to appear before the kid starts school. Most of the emotional or social delays are related to cognitive delay. This condition is also known as a Pervasive Developmental Disorder. While it is difficult to figure the exact cause of this delay, a treatment for this condition exists. Before initiating medication, a medical professional starts with behavioural therapy to see the progress of the kid.

4.Speech and language delay:

Language and speech related developmental delays are the most frequent ones that are witnessed by babies. While speech is the verbal communication ability of a kid, language is the way a kid can express his/her feeling to others. If a baby is not able to speak at a certain age compared to her peers, a parent should immediately seek a doctors’ attention. Having said this, one should also remember that the ability to speak or to communicate may vary from kids to kids. Thus, a parent should not panic if a child takes few more months to speak up.

5.Movement-related delay:

If the concern is around baby’s movement or grasping power, there could be a possible fine motor or gross motor delay. Motor delays typically affect the ability of a kid to walk or crawl. Fine motor delay, on the other hand, can affect the grasping power of the baby. In case of such a delay, a doctor might suggest occupational or physical therapies to amend the condition. Some of the signs indicative of the developmental gap include

-The baby does not roll over by the age of 5 months

-The baby fails to either crawl or stand by the age of 1 month

-The baby refuses to sit by the age of 6 months.

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